Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways (Stanford d.school Library)
I received an advance copy of Creative Acts for Curious People and I must say I am wowed by Sarah Stein Greenberg’s fresh approach to unlocking creativity. She has created a fantastic book filled with intriguing activities to help you take both creativity and design thinking to a whole new level. Plus, the book is well designed, as it should be, and beautifully illustrated, making it a pleasure to read.
Greenberg draws upon her experience as Executive Director of the Stanford d.school to help you actively try out new ideas and develop your own approaches to creativity. She has curated activities from some of the world’s most inventive and unconventional minds, including d.school and IDEO founder David Kelley, Readymade magazine founder Grace Hawthorne, innovative choreographer Aleta Hayes, Google chief innovation evangelist Frederik Pferdt, and more.
Greenberg says, “The ideas in this book come from a huge community of designers and faculty; each one is full of personal perspectives and experiences. The sheer variety will provide everyone with meaningful challenges and approaches that are new to them. Some are quirky, some are serious, and all of them share a bit of the d.school’s unconventional ethos.”
Creative Acts for Curious People includes more than eighty assignments that take you deeper into the famed d.School approach to design thinking.
The ideas and activities are organized in roughly the same sequence as you might use when tackling a design project. But, as Greenberg says, “Every person is different, and every creative process is too. There’s no singular or right way to navigate.”
I’m glad she said this because I know many corporate adherents have the mistaken belief there is only one way to approach design thinking. The activities are story-driven rather than formulaic to give you context and a better understanding of how each exercise works.
Examples of activities include:
- ‘Expert Eyes’ to test your observation skills
- ‘How to Talk to Strangers’ to foster understanding
- ‘Designing Tools for Teams’ to build creative leadership
I recommend you buy Creative Acts for Curious People if you want to learn how to think, create, and lead in unconventional ways to make our lives better. Order the book from your local bookstore or buy it on Amazon.
You may also be interested in these posts:
Why You Need to Cultivate Your Inner Life (as a Leader)
Can Art Inspire Creativity in the Workplace?
Are You Stuck on a Problem? Start Questioning Your Assumptions
The Secret to Finding Creative Solutions from Legendary Designers Milton Glaser and Paula Scher
